When you thought about going to a swimming pool, did you ever change your mind because of thoughts like:
- The pool will be too crowded
- Those experts swimmers will be annoyed by my slow pace
- I will get in the way
- I do not know the rules/etiquette
Going to a new facility comes with a whole lot of inner dialogue about being an outsider. This is especially true if you are also new to the activity.
The COVID-19 crisis has created a new normal for all of us. Our daily routines changed dramatically and many changes we’ve had to figure out as we go. We often don’t know what to do and are definitely not experts. We’ve asked more questions than ever.
So it can be when you go to a new pool. It is normal not to know what to do! You actually help the facility when you ask questions, find out the procedures, and work with the staff and others to learn together.
Because of COVID-19 safety precautions, facilities open but allow fewer people in. A reservation system is frequently used. This system allows you to know what to expect before you go.
My local health codes, as well as many other places around the world, require a 6 feet distance in the pool. Sadly (or not sadly depending on your perspective) this means little or no swim lessons for kids. Sad for the kiddo’s, good for the adults.
With reserved lanes, chances to ask questions and fewer kids in the pool, the new normal has created an environment with fewer distractions. With your own thoughts as the foundation, the learning process can start. When those thoughts are distracted at every turn, there is little space to come into yourself where the learning takes place.
With fewer distractions, you can focus on you. To learn, you can only focus on one thing at a time. With our students, we use BAM:
- Buoyance
- Air
- Movement
Underlined with the Foundation of presence of mind
From the first hesitant walk in the pool to your first swim across the pool, learning to swim is a rinse and repeat of these 3 elements.
Use this opportunity to create your wildest dreams now. It has never been a better time.
Get More Tips Below:
Healing Fear in Warm Water
If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.
Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Foundations of Change. Our Foundations of Change program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.
